{"id":54089,"date":"2022-04-04T21:08:48","date_gmt":"2022-04-04T21:08:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/?post_type=articles&#038;p=54089"},"modified":"2022-04-04T21:08:48","modified_gmt":"2022-04-04T21:08:48","slug":"thebe-magugu-az-factory-collection","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/thebe-magugu-az-factory-collection\/","title":{"rendered":"Thebe Magugu Explores His South African Origins in First Collection for AZ Factory"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-54090\" src=\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2022\/04\/thebe-magugu-az-factory.png\" alt=\"Thebe Magugu AZ Factory\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" data-gz_credit=\"Credit: AZ Factory\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">For the late <a href=\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/remembering-alber-elbaz\/\">Alber Elbaz<\/a>, who <a href=\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/fashion-designer-alber-elbaz-dies-from-covid-19-at-age-59\/\">passed away in April 2021<\/a>, his dream when launching his line, AZ Factory (backed by Richemont), was to unite the fashion industry and everyone in it. Last September, it became a reality when a tribute show called <a href=\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/inside-alber-elbaz-tribute-show-paris-fashion-week\/\"><em>Love Brings Love<\/em><\/a>, featured looks from <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/alber-elbaz-tribute-show-paris-fashion-week-designers-houses\/\"class=\"editor-rtfLink\"  target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">44 designers<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> inspired by the creative genius. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">During the Fall 2022 Paris Fashion Week season, an exhibition of the heartwarming tribute collection opened at the Palais Galliera, where AZ Factory <a href=\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/az-factory-thebe-magugu-fashion-designer-collaboration\/\">announced it would be inviting a rotating series of designers<\/a>, which the brand calls &#8220;amigos,&#8221; to create collections for the label. LVMH Prize winner <a href=\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/az-factory-thebe-magugu-fashion-designer-collaboration\/\">Thebe Magugu<\/a> was named the first amigo to take the creative helm of AZ Factory, and a preview of his one-off collection, <em>Intersection,<\/em> debuted on April 4.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>The 28-year-old South African designer never had the chance to meet <span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Elbaz<\/span>, however, he said he was &#8220;captivated by his gripping runway shows for Lanvin, soign\u00e9 cocktail dresses and his charismatic personality, discovered via <em>Fashion Television<\/em> once his family in Kimberley, South Africa, had saved up enough to get satellite TV,&#8221; <a href=\"https:\/\/wwd.com\/fashion-news\/designer-luxury\/thebe-magugu-az-factory-collab-elbaz-1235146819\/\" target=\"_blank\"><em>WWD<\/em><\/a> reported. For the tribute show, Magugu created a garment inspired by Elbaz&#8217;s early Guy Laroche white silk shirtdress designs, dip-dyeing the angular hemline in a brilliant blue shade.<\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Staying true to Elbaz&#8217;s vision of AZ Factory and a desire to do things differently, Magugu infused his own energy and passion into the collection, while keeping things fun \u2014 another one of Elbaz&#8217;s wishes. For his 15-piece collection, much like Elbaz, Magugu pulled inspiration from personal experiences. &#8220;When I create clothes, that&#8217;s where I can be my most vulnerable and personal,&#8221; Magugu said in a press release. &#8220;The collections are very personal and, in a way, a deep dive into who I am, where I&#8217;m from.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-54105\" src=\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2022\/04\/15-AZ-FACTORY-WITH-THEBE-MAGUGU.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"853\" height=\"1280\" \/> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-54099\" src=\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2022\/04\/9-AZ-FACTORY-WITH-THEBE-MAGUGU.jpg\" alt=\"AZ Factory Thebe Magugu\" width=\"853\" height=\"1280\" data-gz_credit=\"Credit: AZ Factory\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">With the collection, the young designer and the AZ Factory design team pose the question, &#8220;What if Africa were the birthplace of couture?&#8221; Magugu highlights the comparisons in storytelling and craftsmanship between couture and his South African origins. &#8220;I think right now the conversation should be that couture can be for more than one type of person, and I&#8217;d like to think we&#8217;ve achieved that with this collection. Bringing other people on board.&#8221;\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The collection features traditional African garments such as the caftan and a Makoti bridal-inspired dress while combining bold, primary hues such as bright red, banana yellow, and cobalt blue. The colors represent Johannesburg&#8217;s natural pigments, where Magugu grew up, while referencing Elbaz&#8217;s first and only collection for AZ Factory. Other standouts include a performance nylon bomber jacket, a swing coat in wool, a water-repellent cotton trench, and Magugu&#8217;s signature silk scarves.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-54093\" src=\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2022\/04\/3-AZ-FACTORY-WITH-THEBE-MAGUGU.jpg\" alt=\"AZ Factory Thebe Magugu\" width=\"853\" height=\"1280\" data-gz_credit=\"Credit: AZ Factory\" \/> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-54092\" src=\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2022\/04\/2-AZ-FACTORY-WITH-THEBE-MAGUGU.jpg\" alt=\"AZ Factory Thebe Magugu\" width=\"853\" height=\"1280\" data-gz_credit=\"Credit: AZ Factory\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Cheeky illustrations and prints by Paris-based Franco Algerian artist Chafik Cheriet are filtered throughout the collection on pleated skirts, draped gowns, and fitted tops. First commissioned by Elbaz, Magugu discovered the animal kingdom-inspired prints in Elbaz&#8217;s archive. The designs, especially the cheetah print, reminded him of his mother and grandmother, and the meerkat symbolizing &#8220;elegance, intelligence, and gregariousness.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Magugu&#8217;s collection for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.azfactory.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">AZ Factory<\/a> will be released in two drops: the first launches on June 1 and the second in September 2022.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":29043,"featured_media":54090,"template":"","format":"standard","categories":[17,16],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v18.5 (Yoast SEO v20.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Thebe Magugu Reveals His First Collection for AZ Factory<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"LVMH Prize winner Thebe Magugu reveals his one-off collection &quot;Intersection&quot; as part of AZ Factory&#039;s new &quot;amigo&quot; program debuting on April 4. The collection draws inspiration from Magugu&#039;s South African origins and Elbaz&#039;s birthplace in Morocco.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/thebe-magugu-az-factory-collection\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Thebe Magugu Explores His South African Origins in First Collection for AZ Factory\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"LVMH Prize winner Thebe Magugu reveals his one-off collection &quot;Intersection&quot; as part of AZ Factory&#039;s new &quot;amigo&quot; program debuting on April 4. The collection draws inspiration from Magugu&#039;s South African origins and Elbaz&#039;s birthplace in Morocco.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/thebe-magugu-az-factory-collection\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Grazia USA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2022\/04\/thebe-magugu-az-factory.png?fit=1280%2C720\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1280\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"720\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/thebe-magugu-az-factory-collection\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/thebe-magugu-az-factory-collection\/\",\"name\":\"Thebe Magugu Reveals His First Collection for AZ Factory\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2022-04-04T21:08:48+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2022-04-04T21:08:48+00:00\",\"description\":\"LVMH Prize winner Thebe Magugu reveals his one-off collection \\\"Intersection\\\" as part of AZ Factory's new \\\"amigo\\\" program debuting on April 4. The collection draws inspiration from Magugu's South African origins and Elbaz's birthplace in Morocco.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/thebe-magugu-az-factory-collection\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/thebe-magugu-az-factory-collection\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/thebe-magugu-az-factory-collection\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Thebe Magugu Explores His South African Origins in First Collection for AZ Factory\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/\",\"name\":\"Grazia USA\",\"description\":\"Driving tastemakers in Fashion, Beauty and Culture\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Thebe Magugu Reveals His First Collection for AZ Factory","description":"LVMH Prize winner Thebe Magugu reveals his one-off collection \"Intersection\" as part of AZ Factory's new \"amigo\" program debuting on April 4. The collection draws inspiration from Magugu's South African origins and Elbaz's birthplace in Morocco.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/thebe-magugu-az-factory-collection\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Thebe Magugu Explores His South African Origins in First Collection for AZ Factory","og_description":"LVMH Prize winner Thebe Magugu reveals his one-off collection \"Intersection\" as part of AZ Factory's new \"amigo\" program debuting on April 4. The collection draws inspiration from Magugu's South African origins and Elbaz's birthplace in Morocco.","og_url":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/thebe-magugu-az-factory-collection\/","og_site_name":"Grazia USA","og_image":[{"width":1280,"height":720,"url":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2022\/04\/thebe-magugu-az-factory.png?fit=1280%2C720","type":"image\/png"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/thebe-magugu-az-factory-collection\/","url":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/thebe-magugu-az-factory-collection\/","name":"Thebe Magugu Reveals His First Collection for AZ Factory","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/#website"},"datePublished":"2022-04-04T21:08:48+00:00","dateModified":"2022-04-04T21:08:48+00:00","description":"LVMH Prize winner Thebe Magugu reveals his one-off collection \"Intersection\" as part of AZ Factory's new \"amigo\" program debuting on April 4. The collection draws inspiration from Magugu's South African origins and Elbaz's birthplace in Morocco.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/thebe-magugu-az-factory-collection\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/thebe-magugu-az-factory-collection\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/thebe-magugu-az-factory-collection\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Thebe Magugu Explores His South African Origins in First Collection for AZ Factory"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/#website","url":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/","name":"Grazia USA","description":"Driving tastemakers in Fashion, Beauty and Culture","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"}]}},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Grazia USA","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/articles\/54089"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/articles"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/articles"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/29043"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/54090"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=54089"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=54089"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}